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Daniels, Ezra Claytan – The Changers Book Two: Our Obligation to the Future

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The Changers Book Two: Our Obligation to the Future

Frankly, I wouldn’t have expected this level of competence and ingenuity from somebody’s first graphic novel/mini series. This book ties up all the loose end of the first, and asks the questions: do two people have the right to decide which way evolution is going to go for an entire race of people? Is contentment in the face of constant adversity merely giving up? Why is it so impossible to appreciate what we have when we have it? Ezra has asked these and many, many more questions with this book and the previous one, and I think he’s done a great job of giving answers for a lot of them, while at the same time showing that no matter how much time we have under our belts to evolve, basic human frailties are inescapable. In this book the alien from the altered future undergoes some disturbing changes, and the truth about his people and their place in his world are revealed. All those other questions I mentioned are in there too. I think this book is brilliant. About the only bad thing I could say about it would be that I don’t agree with some of his theories about what mankind would do under certain hypothetical future conditions, such as an inevitable asteroid strike. He seemed to think everybody would collectively give up all their vices and put together their best work, I think everybody would come to realize the futility of their existence and give in to ALL their vices. Anyway, personal opinion, but the argument he lays out for it is still fascinating. This is a phenomenal series. Anyone who longs for smart science fiction should check these out. Contact info is up there, you know what to do…

Daniels, Ezra Claytan – The Changers Book 1: Evolution is Our Right

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The Changers Book 1: Evolution is Our Right

Quick, what’s the last really good science fiction comic anybody out there has read? Anybody? The list is pretty small, unless I’m just missing out on a whole bunch of stuff. This one, when it’s completed, could certainly be the best of recent years because of the sheer imagination involved in the concept. I explained the concept for the series in my review for #1, which is above, so check that out and come back. This book collects #1-3, as Ezra decided that publishing the next two issues would be too expensive. Great idea as far as I’m concerned, as that gives me the chance to read everything that’s done so far in one sitting. Anybody who’s ever wondered where humanity might be going or has ever bothered to think beyond next month, let alone next year, let alone a thousand years from now or even three millions years… just read it, OK? My one nitpick in the whole thing is that maybe, for future editions, Ezra should consider putting the text pieces all together either at the front or the back of the book. These text pieces are fascinating two page treatises on death, racial classification and culture and are worth the price of admission by themselves. This is $8.95, go to his website and buy them.

Daniels, Ezra Claytan – The Changers #1

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The Changers #1

What a fascinating concept. Humans have gone pretty much as far as they can go, three millions years now, and have decided to go back in time to help evolution along. Two people from the future are doing this and there is a mysterious creature who’s trying to contact them. That’s the short explanation for this, and that’s all you’re getting out of me because you should really check this out for yourselves. It has one of the oddest cliffhanger endings that I’ve ever seen (you’ll only get that if you read it or check the preview on his website), and there’s also a diary-like entry at the end detailing human history that has yet to happen. Ezra has obviously spent a great deal of thought on this, trying to figure out what could happen to humanity through three million years, and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here. If there’s one drawback to getting books like these early with this website it’s that I have to wait longer than most people to see how the story continues. Yeah, I know, boo-hoo for me…